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With the help of financial innovations, the road to financial freedom is becoming more accessible for Black people and communities of color, and Qoins is a fintech startup helping to lead the way in continuing the streak of progress. Since its launch, Qoins’ mission has focused on helping their users pay off their debt and put money into their savings. Qoins’ strides in the financial wellness space have seen continued success and the app recently reached its latest milestone of paying over $20 million in consumer debt, according to a press release provided to AfroTech. “People of color, we tend to get the short end of the stick when it comes to interest rates,” co-founder Nate Washington tells AfroTech. “I can go into a whole spiel about how the credit score system is against us. For us, being able to see that impact and continue to get those testimonials where people tell us, ‘Hey, you really helped me pay off my student loans or my credit card and now I can actually do something...
Fintech is quickly becoming the way of the digital future, and Atlanta-based startup Qoins is using its company’s model to repair finances for consumers looking to save money and pay off debt. Qoins — a financial wellness app that helps people pay down their credit card debt — was founded by tech entrepreneurs Christian Zimmerman and Nate Washington with a sole purpose of helping people get out of credit card debt faster. Since the app’s launch, it has helped pay off and save more than $15 million of debt for users. This week, the fintech startup announced that it raised a $1.5 million round of investment to continue expanding its platform and product offerings. This latest round of funding was led by venture capital firm Front Row Fund, and also supported by other funds such as Rise of the Rest (Led by Steve Case) , Carolina FinTech Ventures, Rebel One and Service Provider Capital, according to CEO and co-founder Zimmerman. “Almost every one of today’s popular fintech companies are...
Flau’jae Johnson is making a difference off the court by helping wipe out $5 million of debt for 5,000 Louisiana families. On March 14, 2025, global data and technology company Experian announced that the Louisiana State University women’s basketball guard would serve as spokesperson for its initiative to help relieve impoverished families following reports of record-high consumer debt. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Louisiana has one of the highest poverty percentages in the country. Johnson will promote financial literacy and share her experiences managing finances as one of the leading college athletes with a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal , per a news release. “You know what’s bigger than basketball? Financial empowerment,” Johnson said in an Experian commercial. “Finances are tough, and Experian is helping the next generation pursue their dreams. … Money isn’t everything, but you need it to live a good life. The Experian app can help you save time and money, build...
These new astronauts are “preparing for takeoff” in NASA’s Astronaut Office. On March 5, 2024, NASA held a graduation ceremony at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, as 10 new graduates, “The Flies,” crossed the stage after completing two years of training, per a news release. Among the graduates are Andre Douglas and Christopher Williams — representing for Black astronauts. The monumental milestone is a dream come true for both Douglas and Williams. However, the two each had to make crucial decisions along their career paths that ultimately led to turning their dreams into reality. Following NASA’s graduation ceremony, Douglas recalled in an interview with AFROTECH™ about his journey of leaving the U.S. Coast Guard to pursue becoming an astronaut. While it became a great part of the Virginia native, and his father, who was also in the service, he knew he wanted to be in aerospace. Douglas’ curiosity for the industry began at age 7 when he looked through a telescope for the...
There’s no doubt that “Girls Trip” was a box office hit during the summer of 2017. Starring Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, and Tiffany Haddish, it became the first film with “an all-black creative team in front of and behind the camera to earn $100 million at the box office,” per The New York Times. What’s more, Tracy Oliver became the first African-American writer to cross off that milestone.
Oscar-winning actress Regina King is lending a big hand to improve financial literacy in underserved communities. According to a press release announcement, the Oscar winner is partnering with banking giant Wells Fargo to promote financial literacy. King is also featured in their latest campaign “Real Life Ready,” which promotes Wells Fargo’s Active Cash Visa card and rewards system that suits the consumer’s daily needs. “We are thrilled to be working with Regina King, whose own authenticity is showcased in our campaign, as she demonstrates through her genuine life experiences how Active Cash is a straightforward credit card that makes it easy to earn 2% cash rewards on purchases,” Krista Phillips, Wells Fargo’s head of branded cards and marketing, said in a press statement. “I was drawn to Wells Fargo given the bank’s continued commitment to underserved communities,” King said in the same press statement. She is also the first major face to partner with the banking giant. As an...